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John's Pizzeria

3.5 star rating
based on 190 reviews

Category: Pizza  [Edit]

Neighborhoods: Theater District, Hell's Kitchen
260 W. 44th St
(between 8th Ave & Shubert Aly)
New York, NY 10036
(212) 391-7560
Nearest Transit:

8th Ave-42nd St (A, C, E, 1, 2, 3, S, 7, N, Q, R, W)

42nd St-5th Ave-6th Ave (7, B, D, F, V)

Attire:
Casual
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Price Range:
$$
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
Yes
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Good for:
Dinner
Alcohol:
Full Bar
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190 reviews for John's Pizzeria

Review Highlights   

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"You just can't eat *that* pizza in an old church." (in 20 reviews)
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"They really have the best thin crust pizza around." (in 25 reviews)
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"Only the freshest pizza pies right out of a brick oven." (in 16 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of Chili B.

 

4

180

Chili B.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
11/17/2009

Friggin good!! Love this place.

The margherita pizza is delicious. I love the huge, spacious  and beautiful ambience. I can't wait to come back here next time I'm in town.

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Photo of Susan S.

 

18

11

Susan S.

Bel Air, MD

5 star rating
11/3/2009

I LOVE this place and I LOVE the pizza!..I have visited and ate here 2 times and plan to go again when next in NYC!

My daughter and her fiance and my best pal ate here about 3 years ago and we always say when we go back to New York..its back to Johns Pizza!!

The inside of the place is HUGE and beautiful..the sevice is good.

I would recommend this place as a must see eat and visit in New York City!

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Photo of Emma C.

 

14

31

Emma C.

Queens, NY

4 star rating
10/2/2009

Nestled in the heart of Times Square, John's Pizzeria is a great place to catch a bite to eat before enjoying a lovely Broadway show right across the street. The location is super convenient for theater lovers, and the price is very decent for the area! I came here last night with my friend since everything was overcrowded on 44th Street and this place had plenty of diners, but not too crowded where you had to stand around and wait for a table.

To my surprise, our waitress was very pleasant; I was expecting more surly service since the Theater District was just flooding with people. Anyways, my friend and I ordered:

1) Baked Ziti: The ziti comes freshly baked in its own ceramic plate, with the mozarella cheese bubbling hot and oozing out of the noodles. I was literally drooling at the sight of all the cheese... I eagerly stuck my fork into the noodles and forked it into my mouth... SO GOOD! The noodles were of perfect texture, chewy but not overcooked or soggy. The ricotta cheese sauce, coupled with all the layers of mozarella was absolutely scrumptious: rich, cheesy, wonderful and so damn comforting. It's like you were being cuddled by a lover after...well, you get the point.

2) Plain mozarella pizza pie: (They don't serve slices here, it even says on the back of their shirts!) The pie came hot'n'fresh right out of the oven. The crust is very thin, which was a plus, and the cheese was melted enough just so that you get those awesome strings of cheese hanging from your mouth when you eat a bite. This pizza was pretty damn good, but not #1 in all of NYC. Definitely worth a try to come visit if you ever are in the area!!!

Pros: Great ziti, beautiful decor, not overcrowded
Cons: Waitress bounced and forgot to bring us our check

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Photo of Jessica S.

 

111

144

Jessica S.

Santa Monica, CA

4 star rating
11/16/2009

When I'm in New York City, I enjoy coming to this pizzeria, it's great. The place is huge and they have the best pizza here, I wish they had a location in LA. They have tons of diffrent options for your pizza.

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Photo of Ashley M.

 

6

70

Ashley M.

Tallahassee, FL

4 star rating
11/9/2009

I've eaten here a few times after seeing Broadway shows. The pizza is pretty darn good, as is the service. The crust is nice and thin, the way I liked it, and a small pizza is definitely enough for two. My mom and I also shared the mozzarella wedges, which left me unimpressed. They tasted greasy, and I've definitely had better. Also, the wine list leaves much to be desired (the Cab was horrible and I think we can all do a little better than Yellowtail Riesling when we're charging $7 a glass, can't we?). The pizza is excellent, though, and that's what counts!

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Photo of Linda C.

Elite '09

90

280

Linda C.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
9/11/2009

We came here for some good old NY pizza. The interior is nicely renovated but you can still tell it used to be a movie theater. I love how they have the open pizza kitchen area so you can watch the chefs roll, toss, knead the dough for the pizza. The service was okay. Food was not particularly special or amazing, but good.

Pizza: sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers
crust was very thin in the middle of the pizza so it wouldn't hold and we had to use a fork & knife to eat it, the cheese was really good

Beer - Sam Adams Octoberfest: good

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Photo of Mooses J.

 

5

55

Mooses J.

San Antonio, TX

4 star rating
9/21/2009 3 photos

RATATOUIE COOKS HERE!!!  (see #3)

1.  Delicious pizza - $15 for small pie for 2 people.  I should have gotten a large (8 pieces vs. 6 pieces) because it was FANTASTIC!

2.  This place is in an old cathedral and was quite a site to see:  the painting on the wall, the glass roof, etc.

3.  We saw a mouse!  Yes, a mouse was running around on the floor and under the tables and a few people saw it and sorta jumped.  But it was rather small and expected because of the floor level (you have to walk down into this place).  So it was funny.  My gf was like, "Ratatoiue cooks here too!!!"  No biggie, but i think management was embarrassed when i mentioned it.  

This is a place where you can sit down and dine by the way.  Not a walk up.  They do NOT serve slices and in fact, their shirts say, "No Slices."  

Hands down, AWESOME PIES, AWESOME ATMOSPHERE. Brick oven pizza, and add the Italian sausage, it was great over their cheese pizza.

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Photo of W M.

 

0

14

W M.

Port Reading, NJ

2 star rating
8/16/2009

I would give this place THREE stars...but the quality of the pizza is too inconsistent to give the extra star.
Plenty of room and the waiters are...prompt.
Methinks that the Zagat rating this place received has gone to its collective "head."

The good:
1) Good (usually) pizza
2) Well-stocked bar
3) Close to a number of different attractions.
4) Beautiful interior

The bad:
1) The wait staff is sometimes more interested in meeting the male customers (it IS the Theater District after all) than serving the customers.
2) The pizza quality is too uneven (some pies really good,some terrible)
3) The wait can be TERRIBLE.
4) The price are definitely Times Square (Bring your wallet)

Not bad...but NOT the best.

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Photo of Mike F.

 

1

8

Mike F.

Somerset, NJ

4 star rating
8/11/2009

I guess the secret is out.....damn!

OK.  It's true.  John's has a two fist death grip on one of the top spots for  "Best Pizza" title in NYC.  The fact that they can pump out so many in such high quality in so short a period of time is both alarming and delightful!  Before you go into the various gourmet selections get at least a taste of the plain cheese pizza just so you can see what the high water mark starts at!

Just like the city it sits in this place moves and takes no prisoners!  The service is polite but not chatty.  They are busy people!!  The setting of this pizza place is very classy.  I mean it is a former church!  Look at my profile pic - it is the ceiling of this place!

Like others have said be prepared to wait but rest assured it will be worth it!!

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Photo of Katy O.

 

0

2

Katy O.

Oakland, MI

1 star rating
10/23/2009

John's Pizzeria was recommended to my mom and I but it turned out to be a world of FAIL. The host didn't say one word to us when he sat us down. We ordered a margherita pizza and a ceasar salad. The salad came first and the lettuce was completely wilted and drenched in dressing. Then, our pizza was served and it was the wrong kind. I thought maybe the basil was just baked under the cheese but it turned out to be a plain cheese pizza-which was no different than the quality of dominoes. The waiter sucked too, he never once refilled our iced teas. One star for the pretty stained glass windows and huge mural on the wall. Other than that this restaurant fails miserably.

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Photo of Phil R.

Elite '09

45

156

Phil R.

London SW13

UK

4 star rating
8/18/2009

He knows his pizza, does John. Not a very Italian name, though. Ah well, not to worry.

We went on a weeknight without a booking and were very well accommodated. The restaurant is really quite big and the staff were very friendly indeed. We got a very reasonably-priced drink from the bar while we waited ten minutes for a table, and then the decision making began.

I've never had to order a pizza this way before: choose a very basic pizza - cheese or no cheese, what type of sauce, pizza or calzone - then pay for each topping you want extra. It's a great chance to experiment with different combinations.

Two warnings:
1. 'Small' means 'huge' (and 'large' presumably means 'ridiculous')
2. Add garlic if and only if you love garlic. To stay in your mouth for two days.

Don't get me wrong, it's great value for money, but an even smaller option than small might have been better. And the garlic was lovely. Just that some people want to be able to taste other things as well.

I wanted to try proper NYC pizza, and I believe I did. Is it the best it gets? Well, I'd have to try a few more places in order to have a chance of judging that. Hence no five stars. Still very much worth it and a great place to go with a date or with friends.

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Photo of Meg R.

 

0

11

Meg R.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
10/11/2009 1 photo

I just visited NY and this was the first place I ate.  The pizza was cooked perfectly.  It was thin, crispy, and not dried out.  

The pepperoni was tasty - not too spicy.  I would definitely eat here again.

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Photo of Emily K.

Elite '09

19

124

Emily K.

Roswell, GA

4 star rating
8/3/2009

This was my first meal in New York. We got there in the middle of the Sunday matinee rush, so there was about a 30 minute wait. It wasn't a big deal. We bellied up the bar, had a drink, and waited for our number.

We got the bruschetta appetizer and it was really great. Tons of garlic and really fresh tomatoes. Yum! We ordered a small pizza with mushrooms, peppers, and onions for the main dish. It came out absolutely steaming, which was impressive, but the second slice was better because it had time to cool down. The crust was just how I like it, thin with a little bit of chewiness.

It was a nice introduction to the city and worth the wait.

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Photo of David P.

Elite '09

46

166

David P.

Santa Ana, CA

2 star rating
7/6/2009

For the price of this pizza, it could've been way better.  Over $20 for a plain pie plus $2 for each topping you add, but then the pizza came out greasy and floppy.  Granted, the flavor was good, but I expected this thin crust to come out crispy.  There was a hint of charcoal from the coal-burning ovens that the pizza was cooked in.  

The place itself is pretty nice.  It was once a church and the main dining area has a beautiful stained glass dome.  Fortunately, I went to Lombardi's during this NY trip and Lombardi's lived up to its reputation.  Skip John's and go to the original NY pizza place.

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Photo of Jackie N.

 

0

9

Jackie N.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
11/5/2009

I have fond memories of this place and the pizza here. Any time my family would see a Broadway show, this was our go-to place. Now that I am working in NYC, I look forward to frequenting John's more often. The service is decent and the pizza is delicious. Why else would my grandma try to take the leftovers in her purse before the Phantom of the Opera?? I realize that is the same woman that saves used wrapping paper, but she was willing to risk ruining her lovely handbag just for the chance to eat Johns later!

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Photo of Josh S.

 

1

15

Josh S.

Olathe, KS

4 star rating
10/2/2009

Good quality NYC thin pizza. Caesar salad is also quite good; dressing is mild and creamy, and the romaine seemed very fresh and crisp.

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Photo of Shweta V.

 

3

82

Shweta V.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
9/21/2009

No slices...it's true! You have to order the entire pie here. And, the pies are good. I especially liked the Bruschetta pizza. Plus, it has a great ambience, especially if you like old churches. The place has a beautiful stained glass dome, and as a result, very high ceilings with natural light streaming in on sunny days. Great place to enjoy pizza before catching a Broadway show, or if you are tired with sightseeing in Times Square. Better suited for large groups. Kid friendly - they don't mind kids hanging out for a bit near the large brick ovens and watching pizza being made.

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Photo of Julie Y.

Elite '09

8

67

Julie Y.

Huntington Station, NY

4 star rating
7/2/2009

Okay, so this isn't THE BEST pizza in town but if you combine the food and atmosphere, it's a great place to go.  Make sure you get a seat inside the restaurant.  It's gorgeous.  The food is simple and delicious and won't break the bank.

I tell all my out of town friends to try this place.  It's another NY monument.

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Photo of Alex C.

 

2

42

Alex C.

Woodbine, MD

5 star rating
6/15/2009

"Wow dude. The pizza was AMAZING. The pest pizza I've ever had in my life. I had a rough time trying to find a very very very good slice of pizza in NY so I yelped and also asked concierge, both of which suggest John's pizzaria. Staying at the Westin at Times Square, it was only a few blocks away.

Let me tell you. Even the water tastes good there (very sweet). The Pizza was GOOEY, delicious, just the right saltiness, and perfectly done (you know it is when the dough has a nice crunch to it). Overall, simply the best pizza ever.

On a random side note, for the longest time, I've always thought this place was called St. John's Pizzaria. I don't know why."

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Photo of C L.

 

0

47

C L.

New Rochelle, NY

4 star rating
9/17/2009

Went here with a friend for a quick pre-show dinner before seeing a Broadway musical. Some thoughts that may help others:

- small pizza is actually a medium/large at other pizza joints;
- large, loud eating area, which may be crowded...so service may be slow;
- has open kitchen, viewable on both sides if sitting in the top balcony area.

FOOD:
- Pizza was very good. Among the best I've had in NYC, I think.
- Toppings, cheese, sauce all mixed well & placed on pizza well (I hate it when I have noticeable spots of just sauce).

SERVICE:
- Very slow if the place is crowded, which it will be if you're coming in during early to late dinner times.
- Getting water refilled & then the check, were nearly impossible without active seeking of 2-3 waiters for help.

Recommended for dinner if you're in the area & also if you have a pizza craving. Good food, convenient location, good price & quality for the amount of good given.

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Photo of Jose D.

 

0

34

Jose D.

Pasadena, CA

5 star rating
9/18/2009

We really loved this place. It is  very conveniently located close to all the Broadway theaters.Built inside an old church it has lost of room and boasts a brick pizza oven. We ordered eggplant and pepperoni and were very pleasantly surprised at the thin but smooth and tasty crust and the fresh mozarella on the top. Nice service as well. A repeater.

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Photo of Gina K.

 

21

95

Gina K.

Bronx, NY

3 star rating
5/7/2009

Though the pizza here was pretty good, the main attraction to this place for me was the beautiful ceiling. The pizzeria used to be a church (I think, just look at the decor) and the atmosphere is very nice.  When I was here twice, we had to wait 10-20 minutes for a table, but no biggie.  There are TVs by the bar, so you can keep yourself entertained.

The service was good, but sort of slow.  But, I guess it's understandable because the place was packed and the pizzas take a while to cook.

It's definitely a cool place to check out.  If not for their pizza, their ceiling.  It really is a pretty sight (:

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Photo of Nicole L.

Elite '09

5

151

Nicole L.

Jersey City, NJ

3 star rating
6/22/2009

The salads here are pretty fresh and the Caesar was well balanced. The fried calamari was also pretty tasty, although the batter fell apart easily when dipped in the marinara sauce.

The pizza was very good when it was fresh. The cheese was gooey and perfectly melted and the crust was definitely NY style (thin and crunchy). However, you better eat fast because the pizza, after sitting out for about 5 minutes, were definitely no longer worth eating.

The marinara sauce for the meatballs were very good, but both the flavor and the texture of the meatballs were not that great (I highly recommend against ordering it). They also had penne pasta with vodka sauce (which wasn't bad but there was nothing special about them).

I would give the pizza (when fresh) and calamari 4 stars but overall, the place gets  3 stars because of the bad meatballs and mediocre penne.

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Photo of Michelle T.

Elite '09

69

117

Michelle T.

Palo Alto, CA

3 star rating
3/25/2009

Here's a review from my hubby who is spending the week in NYC:

Maybe it's because we were in sunny San Diego yesterday, and now I'm in the biting cold of New York City.  Or maybe it's because I'd spent the entire day on a plane, gingerly trying to establish some elbow room on the armrest I was sharing with an enormous, splotchy man in a tiny, unwashed red t-shirt who was crammed into the seat next to me.  But by the time I managed to catch a cab to John's Pizzeria at 10:30 p.m., I was cranky and almost nauseous with hunger.  

Thankfully: (1) it was late, so there was no wait; (2) I was seated right in front of one of the wood-burning ovens, so I could watch the pizzas cook atop the dancing flames; and (3) the pizza I ordered (a small margherita with no extra toppings -- just mozzarella and tomato sauce) came out quickly and hit the spot.

The best part of the pizza was the crust: It was baked perfectly: thin and crisp (but not hard), with a nice chewy finish and good, salty flavor.  In contrast, the cheese and sauce were unremarkable.  (The toppings on the margherita pizza we picked up last night at Pizzeria Delfina in San Francisco tasted significantly fresher.)  Still, contrary to some reviewers' experiences, John's pizza wasn't greasy or soggy.  (Delfina's was much soggier.)  Overall, not a bad pie.  

The restaurant interior is ginormously cavernous and seats about 400, though its former life as a church lends it an air of musty seriousness not befitting the casual food or the touristy customers clutching theater tickets and guidebooks.  (Contemplating stained glass windows in octagonal church cupolas is not something I typically do while shaking red pepper flakes onto a pizza.)

All in all, John's is pretty decent.  Another plus: Service was quick and to-the-point -- just the way I like it.  I don't know that I'd go out of my way to eat here or stand in a long line for a table, but for a quick, good New York-style pizza in a neighborhood known more for its garish neon chain restaurants, this place is A-OK.

(For my fellow Palo Altans, note that John's Pizzeria is a favorite of Howard Bulka's -- formerly of Chez Panisse and Marche, who's opening up an artisinal pizza joint in the Town & Country Village this summer.)

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Photo of Debbie P.

 

0

10

Debbie P.

New Hill, NC

4 star rating
10/22/2009

We ate a pepperoni and sausage pizza here tonight for our dinner. This pizza is very good. The only thing I didn't like about it is the cheese is a little rubbery. I actually wanted to give this 3 stars, but my son wanted to give it 4 stars. The waiter also didn't give us more water when we ran out, but it was near the end of dinner, so it wasn't too terrible.

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Photo of Alan G.

Elite '09

215

156

Alan G.

New York, NY

4 star rating
2/21/2009

Attention to my Catholic mother who follows my Yelping:

Don't read this review. It's blasphemous. It will displease you. Really. Don't say I didn't warn you. You'll probably still go ahead with it, but yeah... Please don't spank me... Not that you ever did, but you may be tempted to start after reading this.

(But if you do find yourself seriously considering it, please keep in mind that I'm 22, and this would just be a really strange point in time to start doing such a thing. My bum is not as spank-able as it would've been in the earlier days. I'm past my prime.)

I'm sorry in advance.

Love ya!

Back to regularly scheduled Yelping --

First off, I've rarely been to this John's location, and it was a while ago (over a couple of years, in fact), so I'm a little perturbed by claims from people I trust that it isn't as good as the original John's. Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised if quality went down, considering it's in Times Square.

Having said that, it's been pretty damn good when I've went. So that's why this review will stand as follows, for now:

I've been to the original John's Pizzeria (which I will heartily give 5 stars), and then I went to this branch... Not as big a fan, because it loses something and something about the place (not the pizza) seems a little off. Sure, the stained glass ceiling's pretty, since we're in a refurbished church. But is it just me, or is it kind of weird seeing brick ovens built into the walls where oh, I don't know, a freakin' crucifix was probably hanging, and they're just chilling there churning out pizza?

Crafted in the fires of Hell! Abandon hope, all ye who enter here!

This is my internal monologue prior to pizza:

"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It has been X amount of days (months? years?) since my last confession. I've mostly been a good little boy like the Bible asks, but I confess that I have had sordid, impure thoughts in your house, the house that John's pizza now temporarily occupies before you return to cleanse the world and save us all from our bad selves.

But these thoughts, they haunt me -- like, I want to ravage the melted cheesy goodness of John's pizza repeatedly and rub sauce all over my body, and then proceed to lick it off myself somehow... I don't know, I didn't exactly figure out the logistics of that since I'm not very flexible, but Father... I know that if I really wanted to, the Devil would grant me the power to give into that temptation and make it so. I've got it bad, this wanton fever-lust for mozzarella, tomatoes, and thin, crunchy crust... I know it's wrong, that it's dirty, that this pizza is the fruit of that evil Serpent that ruined it for us. But Lord, have mercy on my soul. I'll say the Hail Marys, the Our Fathers, I'll.."

...And then the pizza comes out, cutting through the monologue, and in no time flat I grab it like Adam did that cursed biblical Apple (although I'm no Adam, because he was pretty buff-looking and pulled off a leaf over his crotch far better than I ever could) and there is no guilt as I chomp, chomp, chomp.

Sure, it isn't holy, but damn, it tastes goooooood.

You can only order by the pie, which is right up my alley, and I immediately refuse to "respect thy neighbor" and start downin' slices as quickly as possible so I can get to the next slice and outpace my friends. We'll be sharing, and then all of a sudden, my friends will be like, "Oh I guess that pizza looked a lot bigger than it actually was because it's all gone now," and I'll look dumfounded but sneak in a snicker while I loosen my belt underneath the table.

"Gluttony is a sin, my Child."

I'll repent tomorrow, Father. Promise.

(...It can't be that bad a sin, right? I mean, isn't John a very decent fellow in the Bible?)

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Photo of Will E.

 

1

34

Will E.

East Elmhurst, NY

2 star rating
2/18/2009

Tourist trap.  Fellow New Yorkers, RUN!  Food was average, service was SLOWWWW and you litereally feel as if you are in a moshpit when walking into this place.

First start by saying, I feel more comfortable riding the E Train at rush hour and having to stand pressed up against the door then in this place.  Tourists swarm like parasites as you stand hopelessly waiting for a table.  

And once your number is called, after shoving your way through crowds of people and make it to your cramped table, you are greeted by rude staff and sit and wait for a damn pizza for a half hour.

This food tasted better then it should have, mainly cause I was so damn hungry, but honestly, Pizza Hut puts this place to shame.  Calzone's were sloppy and tasteless.

The Times Square Olive Garden is probably a better choice then this place.  At least the prices there are worth the food unlike this inflated prices tourist trap.

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Elite '09

147

490

Deborah H.

New York, NY

2 star rating
1/15/2009

You've got to be kidding me; this place has an average score of four?  Are the reviewers mostly tourists?  Have they BEEN to Artichoke or Di Fara or any random Italian restaurant in central NJ?

Yes, it's very affordable, especially in groups.  Yes, the ceiling is absolutely beautiful.  But the pizza is terrifically uninspired and service is not friendly.  I brought an out-of-towner here and was promptly embarrassed by the meal.

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Photo of MJ H.

 

5

94

MJ H.

Flushing, NY

4 star rating
5/6/2009 2 photos

MJ's Star : 4
Price : Plain Pizza $12.75, Beer $6 (Except tip & tax)

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Photo of Shannon W.

 

2

52

Shannon W.

San Rafael, CA

3 star rating
9/10/2009

For our last New York dinner, we received a recommendation to try out John's for "the best pizza in NYC" (Apparently, John's is where big timers like Woody Allen like to eat their pizza). When walking in, you can tell John's has not always been a pizza joint: a unique building, John's was a cathedral that was built in the 1880's. We dined on the "balcony" and had a great view of the whole place. We decided to order a Cesar salad before the pizza. The salad was fresh and light, but the croutons were soggy and soft. I also felt that the salad could have been colder. So out comes the pizza with mushrooms. With all my high expectations, I took my first bite.  The crust was on the thicker side, a little unusual for NY pizza.  The cheese was stiff and not very flavorful.  Well, we downed the pizza and agreed that it was not bad but not also the best pizza we have had on this trip.  Leaving somewhat disappointed, I might try John's again, but the best pizza award for NYC goes to Angelo's.

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Photo of Jody S.

 

2

203

Jody S.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
8/17/2009

Very very good I can't wait to compare to Ben Afleck's favorite Famous Joe's.

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Elite '09

39

143

Heather W.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
3/31/2009

Went here while in NYC last month, at the recommendation of someone from the hotel I was staying in. The pizza was awesome. My cohort and I scarfed it down while drinking a pitcher of beer. Hot, cheesy goodness with all the right toppings. Great service, though we were seated right next to the bathrooms. Yeah, uh, thanks. Still, put that to the side, it was still f'in great pizza.

As a San Diego resident, I haven't found great pizza here yet. Can they please bring a John's here?!

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Elite '09

81

160

Susan Y.

San Jose, CA

4 star rating
3/30/2009

Friend and I came here after it was highly recommended by a friend who lives in NYC. When we needed help with directions for the place, we asked the girl handing out Chicago broadway fliers and she mentioned this was one of her favorite restaurants. Good sign, yeah?

We finally make it inside and were seated right away. Nice atmosphere and not crowded when we were here. We ordered the margherita with chicken and mushrooms. Good pizza with nice thin crust and the cheese was really good too.

Unfortunately, I don't have other NY pizza places to compare to, but this place added to the good times for us.

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3

29

Billie C.

Long Island City, NY

1 star rating
5/7/2009

I am disappointed with the reviews by yelpers, especially the New Yorkers.

I had dinner here last night, and without a doubt, the CRAPPIEST PIZZA I have EVER had the misfortune to put in my mouth. Any Ray's or Ray's Original or Original Ray's Original or even Pizza Hut in Timbuktu can do a better job.

Perhaps I choose the wrong type - marinara, without cheese - which might have accounted for the (non)flavor of the canned-tasting sauce to come through loud and strong, without cheese to mask its tastelessness. On top of that abomination, raw, chopped garlic covered the entire pie. At first, I thought they had brought us the wrong pizza as it looked so white, but on closer inspection, it was garlic, and it was raw. As were the peppers. I'm not kidding about the garlic - at least 1 heaping tablespoon per SLICE!  I have evidence, but can't figure out how to post the photo. In the end, we had to scrape the sauce and garlic and peppers off of because damnit, they make good crust.

And $26 for the pie. What a bummer.

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Elite '09

25

70

Sherri J.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
3/26/2009

Is this place a tourist trap? Yup. Is it typically full of annoying theater-goers? Yup. Is the pizza good enough to warrant enduring these two insufferable aspects? Yup.

Thankfully, I work a couple of blocks away from John's, so I can go during lunch, when it's not terribly busy and the tourists haven't made their way into the theater district yet. I came once to this place during dinner and I'll never do it again.  I mean, I might be dumb, but I'm not CRAZY. It gets packed and service slows dramatically.

The space itself is actually quite lovely and a nice change of scenery as far as pizza places go. I enjoy sitting at the back or upstairs to really get the most out of the space.  

I haven't wandered too far around the menu; in fact, I've only had the pizza and salad here.  But the pizza? Delicious! It's definitely in my top 5 pizza places city-wide.

I definitely suggest giving this place a try, but do it during lunch and let the toursits take over during dinner.

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0

18

Starkie S.

Calgary, AB

Canada

4 star rating
8/13/2009

Good things come to those who wait...

Yes, during prime time you will have to wait as the volume of people looking to eat here is huge! Relax and grab a drink at the standup bar and wait for your number to flash on the screen as it is worth the wait! We were in under the 20 minutes quoted on a busy evening.

Pizza is such a basic meal but the crust is everything and John's has it right and their application of toppings is the right amount. The service isn't long and drawn out as this place is a machine - you are there for the pizza and not the interaction with your server which I should mention is around as much as you need them.

Go to John's and grab a number and a drink and wait for good pizza it is worth it.

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43

104

Sasha D.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
1/1/2009 4 photos

My friend and I are big eaters. We also happen to possess low-tolerance for bad food and high alcohol tolerance. He is a junk food junkie, i am a health freak.

At the end of the year 2008, upon my NYC visit, and following a quick journey and tedious photo-sessions around town, including but not limited to bull's ball-touching and wall-street posing, we finally made it to John's Pizzeria.

Of course we went for the 8-slice. Just for the record we are as far from being vegetarians (our ancient cultures would not have survived if we were) as CNN is from being 'the most trusted name in news.'

Anyhow, under my influence, we ordered whole wheat pizza with all the goodies. I'd say it took 10-15 minutes, not longer for us to get the order. Meanwhile, we had a good time making fun of tourist-looking people inside, as well as admiring the architecture and the hard-core brick ovens where our ambrosia had been forming.

The amazing 8-slicer was not enough for two of us so we ordered another one, a 6-slicer. Everything would have been ideal if our waitress would not have tactfully noted "I will be going home soon, would you like the check?"

We replied "Ok," yet looked at each other in disbelief and a joint desire to 'bitchslap' such unprofessionalism.

Instead we took our rage out on the tip. Guess what, 15 minutes later, when we came out of the bathroom, she was still there. How pathetic. Oh well, Happy Holidays to her, we hope it floated her boat as much as it didn't affect ours. It was a glorious day to be a New Yorker.

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Elite '09

14

81

Richie E.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
7/17/2009

This isn't exactly like Siena Pizza where you can just grab n' go.  This is more of a dine in pizza joint.  The pizza is is more of a gourmet style pizza.  It delicious with a variety of toppings.  Price is pretty reasonable and I'd say its worth paying for.

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3

41

Justin B.

New York, NY

4 star rating
3/31/2009

John's is my regular New York style pizza place.

Most people wouldn't claim that John's has the best pizza in NY and no one will say that its the most authentic, but it is pretty friggin good. More importantly, there are a few locations and you usually won't have to wait very long to get seated.

One thing you should know is that they have a "no slices" policy. That's right, you need to buy it by the pie. It's ok though, because the pizza is so good that you won't have any problem finishing it off.

That aside, the pizza is really very good. Something about the perfect amount of cheese and the right kind sauce makes it so good. Make sure you eat it when its hot, because once it's cold it's not nearly the same. My favorite combinations are sausage/pepperoni and meatball/ricotta.

Do yourself a favor and check out John's at least once.

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3

88

Dina M.

New York, NY

4 star rating
7/31/2009

I want to say this is close to one of the best pizza's in NYC! no joke! so good! very thin, yummy!! comes really quick!

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